from Deelfontein, Cape Colony. 5 



a, b. S ? ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 3-8, 1903. 



c, d. $ ad. & juv. ; e. ? ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 16, 1902. 

 (Bill in female slate-coloured ; bare skin round eye bluish. 

 In young, bjtre skin round eye tinged with yellow.) 



f,g. S; h. ? ad. Deelfontein, Feb. 20-24, 1902. 



?', k. <J juv. „ Feb. 23-27, 1902. 



/, m. ? juv. „ March 1, 1902. 



n, o. S juv. „ April 3, 1902. 



p, q. (J ? ad. „ May 15, 1902. 



r. <J ad. „ Oct. 29, 1902. 



Two eggs measure : axis 145, diam. l - inch. 



The male in first plumage shews no sign of the grey- 

 tipped ocellated scapulars and inner secondaries, though 

 these are assumed after the first moult. The young 

 bird is rufescent on the back and mantle, which have 

 blackish cross-bars, in fact the whole of the upper surface 

 is more or less rufous or buff, regularly barred with black, 

 these bars being especially distinct on the upper tail- 

 coverts and tail. The sandy-coloured tips to the inner 

 secondaries are vermiculatcd with dusky lines, instead of 

 being pure white. The throat and sides of the face are 

 uniform sandy rufous; the fore-neck and chest are sandv 

 brown with dusky spots and cross-bars, which gradually vary 

 in pattern until they result in ovate drop-like markings before 

 the moult, when the colour of the chest becomes uniform. 

 The full plumage of the male seems to be established at 

 the first moult. 



The nestling females are not very different from the old 

 females, but are not so dark in tint. 



[The " Namaqua Patrice " was found at Deelfontein at all 

 times of year, and even during the breeding-season it was 

 noticed in small coveys of from five to seven individuals. It 

 was a common species, occurring in large flocks of up to a 

 hundred. It evinced a partiality for the sheep-kraals, 

 roosting at night in the rocky veldt, and coming to drink 

 both in the morning and evening. The nest was a slight 

 hollow in the ground, and we never found more than two 

 eggs. In captivity the birds did not thrive well, and seemed 



